Tanzania

Human Outreach Project

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Tanzania

Tanzania is in Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique. Of the 40 million people in Tanzania, half are under the age of 18, 99% are African, and 95% are Bantu, consisting of more than 130 tribes. More than half of the rural population does not have access to protected water sources.

Public Health: Among the biggest public health problems include poor nutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, child and maternal health. Approximately 7% of the population is HIV-infected, producing a rapidly growing orphan population that now exceeds 2 million. The health of women is threatened by poor nutrition, high rates of death in childbirth, gender inequalities and female illiteracy levels. One in ten children die before the age of 5, and one out of four do not have enough food. There are inadequate numbers of skilled health care professionals, too few clinics in rural areas, shortages of medicine, and resources for health delivery.

Refugees. Although one of the poorest countries in the world, Tanzania hosts more refugees than any other African country. More than a half-million individuals have fled neighboring unstable countries for reasons ranging from genocide in Rwanda to famine in Somalia. Outbreaks of illness caused by cramped conditions in refugee camps worsen overstretched medical and humanitarian resources.

Climate Change. Decreased rainfall, increased insect infestations, and a decrease in the cultivatable area of land will aggravate existing problems of food insecurity and malaria. The snow atop Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world, has visibly depleted, fueling worries about declining water supplies.